Cadence In A Minor Chapter 10: All's Well That Starts Well
Shining Armor yawns. He slowly opens his eyes to look at the familiar ceiling of his own room.
What's this? Wasn't I just… somewhere completely different? And didn't I make up with Cadance? Why… why am I here? And why's everything intact?
He scans the room again. The priceless artefacts of a bygone era look upon him with disgust from their highly polished perches. The curtains are drawn, letting in cold, cloudy daylight. He bites his lip to see if he's awake, quickly pulling his teeth apart from the pain.
Crap. Was that some sort of a dream? About me making up with Cadance?
He covers his eyes with his hooves and lets out a sigh that turns into a low moan.
"It can't be! I… everything's going to get better now!"
"Why are you making so much noise this early, Shiny?" Cadance asks. He didn't even notice her lying right next to him.
"Sorry, Honey. Did I wake you up?"
"Yes. Yes you did," she says in a threatening voice.
"S-sorry."
"Sorry? Sorry won't cut it. You woke me up. How DARE you?!" she shouts, and pushes him down from the bed and leaps after him.
"I… what? Cady what are you..?"
"Be quiet. You've already caused enough trouble for yourself, young colt. Now beg for me not to use you as a punching bag again." She lifts a menacing forehoof up in the air.
"I… no! What's gotten into yoUGGHHH!" The rest of his words are cut off has Cadance's golden horseshoe knocks the wind out of him.
"Beg! Kneel before me and beg!”
"Please… Cadance… stop…" he stammers, barely able to catch a breath.
"Not good enough." She slams another forceful hoof into his stomach, and the taste of bitter bile spews into his mouth.
"No… no more! Please! Cadance!"
"’No more?’ Are you giving me orders?"
"No… I…"
"Are you disagreeing with me?" she asks, her voice even colder than before.
"That's quite enough from you, Cadance."
Shining Armor looks at the source of the voice in confusion. Broom Sweep and Feather Duster are standing side by side at the door of the bedchamber.
"Whaaa?" he utters.
"You've gone too far this time, little Miss Cadenza," Feather Duster says in a stern voice.
"Oh?" the Princess in question answers with a snarl. "And what, pray tell, are you two going to do about it?"
"What we've always done when you haven't been behaving," Broom Sweep continues from where her colleague left off. "You're going to get spanked."
"Hah! I'm far too old for you two hags to lay a hoof on my tush," Cadance says, and turns around to shake her posterior at the maids. Shining Armor can only look at the scene in confusion at how the three mares are acting.
"Care to wager on that, poppet?" In the blink of an eye, the older mares have grabbed Cadance by the forehooves and pushed her over the end of the bed, leaving her hind legs dangling a few inches in the air.
"You can't do this to me! I'm the Princess!" she shouts, but the cold decisiveness in her voice has been replaced by trepidation.
"You've always been a Princess when we've smacked your bottom. This time's no different." Feather Duster climbs onto the bed and holds Cadance still, while Broom Sweep raises a muscular forehoof so befitting of a working mare.
"No! Don't do this! I command you!"
Her protest is interrupted by a yelp of pain as the first powerful smack lands onto her buttocks. She leans forward from the strength of the strike, but doesn't have enough time to recover before the next spank comes. The merciless smacks rain upon her wiggling bottom, making it dance from side to side.
Shining Armor gets up from the floor to get a better view of the proceedings. He can see that Cadance's slim hindquarters are already considerably more red than pink.
"Stop this at once! This is not befitting of my stature!" she cries, but the blows don't slow down. From her quivering voice, it is clear that she's holding back sobs of embarrassment and pain.
"Ooh my fetlock's getting all stiff here. Care to switch around with me?" Broom Sweep asks her maid companion.
"I thought you'd never give me the pleasure."
They change positions, and again strikes start raining down onto the Princess' buttocks. She starts to whinny instead of telling them to stop, and after a few dozen more hits, she breaks.
"P-please! I can't take any more! Oww! Please don't spank me any more, Aunt Dusty!"
"Oh-ho. So the tables have turned now haven't they? Maybe now you won't treat your hubby like a dirty rag?" the maid asks, but gives Cadance several more smacks before allowing her to answer.
"N-no! I promise to be good! I'll do anything! Just please stop!"
"You're saying that you're going to be better now, but how do we know that we can trust you, eh? Are you convinced there, Mrs. Broom Sweep?"
"Oh, she does sound sorry, but I don't think her bum's sorry enough. I think she still has to be punished more."
"Noo! Please! No more!" Cadance whines like a young filly.
"Well, what do you say, Your Royal Highness?" the maid turns to Shining Armor. "Does she need to be punished more? She did use you as a punching bag, and she's done nothing but treat you wrong for weeks."
"I couldn't. I mean, she's Cadance and all. Why would I… spank her?" Shining Armor says is a hesitant voice.
"Oooh, you're a real piece of work, you are. Trying to be all Princely is all well and good, but you really have to put the missus into her place, am I right, Mrs. Broom Sweep?"
"Couldn't agree with you more. I think that the Prince should show her what for himself."
"What a splendid idea!"
Both the maids turn to look at him, one from over Cadance's half-prone body, and one from next to her glowing-red rump. "Care to discipline her?"
Shining Armor feels a stirring between his legs, and instead of refusing like he first thought, he finds the idea wholly titillating.
"Why, yes. I think I would."
"Shiny! Please no! I promise to be a good filly from now on!" Cadance begs, but it only makes him grin wider. The maid gives the upraised rump one final smack before she makes way for him.
"No holding back now, Your Royal Highness. She deserves every bit you have in those hooves of yours."
Shining Armor lays a hoof on his wife's backside, and she shies away from his touch. He feels the spanked area glow warmly under his touch. He strokes her a few times more, before pulling his forehoof back.
"I'm going to enjoy this," he says. Cadance tries to say something, but the loud smack that echoes through the chamber turns her objections to a whine of misery. He takes aim again, this time slamming his hoof lower, more to her thighs than her buttocks. He feels the flesh more taut, and her whinny is an octave higher than with his last strike. Shining Armor savours every spank, waiting for Cadance to settle down before giving her the next one. She tries to beg for mercy, but he will not have any of it. Instead, every time that she opens her mouth, he strikes, cutting off any possible objections. He stops to admire his work, and rubs the sore red skin under the short pink fur of his wife.
"You aren't stopping yet are you, Your Princeship?" one of the maids says.
"She needs a better seeing to, she does!" the other one says.
Shining Armor feels his member standing stiff like The Dragonpeak Mountain between his legs. He starts to pick up speed with his strikes, not giving Cadance enough time compose herself before applying the next smack. She yelps in pain amidst her whinnies, which only serves to drive him further on. She struggles in vain against the two strong mares holding her down and is only able to wiggle her bottom from side to side. Her tail stands high, giving him full access to every inch of her posterior, and he covers it all with his lustful strikes, riding high on the euphoria of dominance. He doesn't know how long the spanking lasts, but all too soon he hears Cadance bawling like a tiny foal.
"Now… now let that be a lesson to you to respect your husband, you hear?" he says, out of breath.
"Well done, Your Royal Highness," the maids say in unison. "Now it's time for this little naughtybottom to go think on what she's done in the corner," Broom Sweep continues. "Anything to say to the Prince, young lady?"
"I'll… I'll never disobey you again, Shiny. And… if you ever feel like I've been bad, you… you should give me another spanking like the one right now."
"He sure will. We'll make sure of that!" Feather Duster grabs Cadance's ear with her teeth and drags the barely resisting mare to the corner. Shining Armor looks at his wife approvingly, and feels his member nod in agreement.
The maids return to stand in front of him, and give him a deep bow. Feather Duster talks to him in a reverent tone. "Now, Your Royal Highness, might we ask for a spanking as well?"
"Surely we deserve one at least as severe as the one you gave your wife just now. We even brought a riding crop for you to teach us how to behave."
"Well…" Shining Armor looks at the grovelling mares for a moment, as if pondering the request. "You do deserve it, no doubt. Show me this crop you have."
As Broom Sweep rises up, she holds a length of tan wood topped with a wide swath of pleather on one end, and a sturdy grip on the other. He picks it up with his magic and gives it a few experimental swishes through the air. He holds a hind leg up and brings the crop down onto it, grimacing from the sharp pain that shoots through his body.
"Is it to your satisfaction, Your Royal Highness?" the maid asks. He only nods, and points the crop at the bed. The maids assume their positions without saying a word, lying on their stomachs on the bed before lifting their rumps up in the air and clearing his target from their tails.
Shining Armor admires the two mares' backsides, never having given them much thought. He can see clearly that the two mares are used to working on their hooves, as both of their hindquarters are well rounded, but with a slight topping of chub from lack of real physical exercise. He walks to the other side of the bed, where the maids look at him from below with pleading, lusty eyes. He brings the crop to Feather Duster's face, stroking her cheeks with the wide swath on the business end of his implement. She purrs like a kitten and rubs her head against it. He moves it a bit, so the end is right in front of her mouth.
"Lick it."
She pushes her tongue out and does careful circles around the crop. The movements remind Shining Armor of a mare preparing to take a stallion inside her mouth, and his hips push forward on instinct as the mare expertly teases the crop. She leans forward to take it inside her mouth, but he pulls it back. Instead he hovers it to the other maid, tracing wet lines with the saliva covering the end onto her face. She shivers slightly, but turns her head to the side. He raps the crop onto her cheek, not hard, but enough to elicit a tiny moan from the older mare. He pushes her head the other way, gives her another rap on the other cheek, and is once again awarded with a pleasurable moan.
Shining Armor walks behind the two mares, noting with satisfaction that both of them are dripping juices down their inner thighs from excitement. He leans his muzzle in closer, almost close enough to touch one of their slits and inhales deeply on her smell. His breath on her most private area sends a shiver down her back, and she wiggles her bottom in anticipation.
"So, Ladies. What is it that you want from me?" he asks in a coy voice.
"Please! Make us obey you!"
"Punish us for our misdemeanour!"
"Tell us how bad ponies we have been!"
"Make our backsides hurt!"
Shining Armor pulls up a divan next to the bed and lies on it on his side, affording him a full view of the two mares' posteriors. With a casual jolt of magic, he sends the crop to smack one of them on the bottom, and then the other. They both squeal in pain and delight, and he moves his forehoof between his own legs and rubs his erection. He allows the crop to give a few more strikes, enjoying the tiny ripples that flow from the spots where the wide end impacts the chubby maids. Tiny red lines appear where he has struck, and he decides to focus on one of the ponies in front of him first.
Broom Sweep's legs are covered with a mixture of her own sweat and arousal, and Shining Armor decides to go for her plump bottom first. He takes careful aim and gives her half a dozen strikes in quick succession on her right buttock. She yelps in pain, but remains in her position. He strokes her bottom a few times with his implement before giving her another burst of hits, this time on her other buttock. Again, the mixture of pain and pleasure fills the room as she moans and pants.
"Please! Punish me more!" she shouts.
"Be quiet."
"Yes, Your Royal Highness. Sorry, Your Royal Highness."
He continues spanking her, covering her whole bottom in red stripes and welts, until her legs give away from under her.
"Aaaah! That's too much, Your Royal Highness! I can't take any more!"
"You disappoint me, you useless mare."
"I'm so sorry, Master! It's just that… I… it hurts so much."
"Very well then. You are dismissed."
"No! Please! I… I want more! I want you to punish me more! Please don't send me away!"
He takes a hold of her tail with his magic, and lifts her rump back up.
"Oh, yes, Your Royal Highness!"
"Be quiet."
He gives her a few more strokes, these far more harder than the ones before, and lets go of her tail. She falls down on the bed, the sheets of which are already wet from her fluids.
Feather Duster has gotten only a few licks in the beginning, and Shining Armor decide to turn his attention to her.
"On your back."
The mare complies, and rolls over. Her tail hangs over the edge of the bed, and she spreads her hind legs apart to afford him a pleasing sight of the middle-aged mare's stomach, thighs and private parts. Shining Armor aims several short smacks on her inner thighs, making her squirm uncomfortably on her back as she desperately tries to remain still. The sounds escaping her mouth are completely different, signalling sheer pleasure from being punished.
He aims a gentle slap directly onto her slit, and is rewarded with an ecstatic moan from the mare. A few more hits land around her bottom and inner thighs, before he again gives her entrance another strike, this one slightly harder than the one previous. The mare closes her legs around the crop on instinct and shudders from the pain.
"Spread your legs."
"Sorry, Your Royal Highness. I promise not to do it again."
He ties a few strands of magic around her legs and lifts them up, bringing her whole lower body up from the bed. Suspended spread-eagle from both legs, she is completely helpless against his assault. He goes through her inner thighs meticulously, making sure not to miss an inch. She shudders and moans, not knowing what to do with her forehooves but to flail them around and occasionally bring them in front of her mouth to suppress a scream. Every once in a while, Shining Armor gives her slit another hard smack, and relishes at the sight of the mare trying to close her legs, but not letting her. When she can't take any more and begins to beg and gibber, he carefully eases her down. She relaxes, smiling, and allows her hind legs to droop down, almost touching the floor. At that exact instant, he strikes her slit one more time, as hard as he was spanking her buttocks. She screams and turns to her side, bringing her forehooves between her hind legs.
"Very good. I think that's enough of the first part of your punishment. Now, come over to me."
The maids climb up from the bed and approach him with their heads held low. He motions for his still-erect member, and doesn't say a word. The mares don't need any other instructions. They both sit down on their aching backsides and start licking his member. His hips instinctively buck forward at their wet touch, and he moans from pleasure, enjoying the raspy tongues working expertly at his shaft from the tip all the way down to his sheath. He turns on his back, with his member upwards, and the maids rise up to reach it.
"Can… can I watch?" Cadance asks quietly from the corner.
"No, you may not. But you will climb on the bed now," he answers. Cadance walks to the bed being careful not to look at her husband and the two mares working on him.
"I want you to pleasure yourself while I sit here and have your two maids suck me off. You will listen, but you will not turn around."
"Yes, Shiny."
She leans forward, and Shining Armor can see her leaking wet slit for a second before her forehoof covers it from below. She begins to stroke herself rhythmically, and the mares working on his member take up the same rhythm. She quickens her pace, and the maids do as well, then slows down, and the two follow suit. One of the maids switches to his goodie sack, carefully taking it inside her mouth. She lolls her testicles around with her tongue, treating them gently like the two priceless gems they are. The other maid climbs up to all fours to reach his shaft better, but she gets in front of his view of the masturbating Cadance. With an angry smack he hits her flank, and she falls back down gibbering apologies that are muffled with his meat. Cadance seemingly cannot slow down any more and keeps on going faster and faster, but he will not allow it.
"Stop, Cadance. You ladies keep going."
"But I was so close! Please… let me finish! Please!"
"Be quiet, or do I have to give you the crop as well?"
"N-no! Please! I just want it so bad!"
"Come closer, but do not turn around. I want to smell you."
She obeys and backs up, almost tripping on the loose bed sheets on the floor. Her legs are glistening with her fluids, and her perky scent makes his member twitch in the maid's mouth.
"Good. Now stand there and do nothing."
"Nothing? But I neeeeeeeed it!"
"You need to obey. One more quip and you're getting the crop. Now face down and ass up. And shake it."
"Y-yes… my Prince."
She pushes her rump even further towards him, and starts to move it vigorously from side to side. Her first move shakes off the tiny droplets of arousal from her hairs and they rain on Shining Armor. He pushes his tongue out to enjoy her taste.
The maids are still working diligently, not even slowing down as he commands her errant spouse around. He lifts one of his hind hooves up and onto the back of the divan, and points his hoof lower. The maid that was working on his jewels carefully pulls away from them, using her tongue to lower them back to rest between his legs. She gives them a tiny lick, as if waving goodbye to a lover, and traces a slow, wet line down between his buttocks. She probes around for a moment, slowly going up and down his crack, before hitting gold. His hips buck forward, and the other maid gags as his shaft drives deep into her throat. He takes her by the mane and pulls her back in, gagging her again, revelling in the shudders of her throat. A hungry tongue keeps rimming his hole, all the while launching forays around the rest of his rump, writing unknown letters of pleasure onto the canvas of his white flesh.
Cadance's shakes have slowed down, and he slaps her flank again, and she quickly starts moving again, this time going up and down, touching his lips a few times with her bottom. Every time she comes close, she gives her slit a lick. She starts bringing her prize closer to him and waits for him to lick again, but he makes her wait, sometimes for several seconds. She moans wordless pleas that go wasted on the hardened ears of her master.
"Cadance. Stop what you are doing and masturbate. I want to see you pleasure yourself from up close. From inches away. Now do it."
Her hoof is up her nethers before he can even finish, and she rubs herself out fiercely, almost desperately. He enjoys the vigorous movements, the musk of her, and the rain of a thousand ecstasies. He motions for the other maid to return to work on his shaft, sensing that his tectonic plates are about to do the twist. The sheer want and need of his wife-come-supplicant drives him over his own point of no return and down the waterfall of pure, blinding, mind-numbing bliss. He hears Cadance cry out and lose control as her own orgasm takes hold of her, and her final gush of lust drowns him in a sea of horny love. He comes, and the maids compete as they try to get as much of his semen inside their mouths, slurping and kissing over his member, cleaning every last speck of his stallion-juice down their gullets like the good little cleaners they are. When he is finally done, Cadance, the maids, the bedroom, all fade to black as he falls back into the darkness of sleep.
Shining Armor wakes up with a throbbing, almost painful feeling between his legs. Not even thinking about it, he moves his hoof to his shaft and gives it a little rub before opening his eyes. A completely alien wardrobe stands silently before him. Its presence returns him completely to the land of the waking from his semi-conscious state.
Right. Cady, in the guest room, with The Talk.
Remnants of his earlier dream dance around his mind.
Also… ewwh!
"Are you up?" his wife's voice comes from somewhere behind him. On instinct, he pushes both of his forehooves between his legs to cover his full-out erection, afraid that she might notice. To his relief, he was lying on his side, his back to where she'd tucked Cadance in. The thought of Cadance behind him, possibly only inches away should make him feel relaxed, but instead he feels a cold shiver run down his back.
She's probably looking at me. Thinking why I haven't turned around yet. Maybe I could pretend I was asleep? Can't let her see me like this when… oh Celestia what a dream.
On cue, his member twitches about, volunteering for duty.
Or then again… lying's only made this thing worse.
"Morning, honey," he says, and rolls onto his back, his member joyfully pointing at the ceiling.
"Oh…" Her voice is farther away than he thought. His head lolls to the side and he sees her sitting at the small table next to the window instead of lying on the bed.
"You… really are up," she says, her eyes glued to the saluting little soldier.
"Yeah." He feels the blush of embarrassment start to grown on his cheeks. "Sorry."
"Sorry? Why are you sorry?" she ask incredulously.
"For… this." He points between his feet.
"It's not like I haven't… seen it before."
"Yeah… but the stuff that's happened and…"
"Yes… well…"
They both look away, Cadance at the table, Shining Armor at the ceiling. The silence that arrives in the room hates its job and would rather be anywhere else, and inaudibly begs for the two of them to get it over with so it can go. It doesn't even have a number yet and is probably just an intern.
"So… want some flowers or chocolate?" she asks.
Before he can even answer, his stomach does it for him with a low rumble. "Yeah… I haven't eaten in… actually I don't remember when I ate last." He gets up from the bed, and notes that his stallionhood has already receded back into its sheath.
For once it goes away when I want it to. Guess that wasn't so bad.
He plops down on the chair opposite Cadance and pops a carnation into his mouth. It’s freshly picked, and the sugary sweet core amidst the petals feels like a precious oasis in the desert of his taste buds. He is careful not to eat the stem or the leaves, remembering well the list of poisonous plants and which of them are safe to consume from Elementary School.
"These are my favourite flowers. And chocolates too." She smiles at him, and pops a large candy into her mouth, not even biting it in half. There's a little speck of chocolate on her cheek.
"Actually… I didn't pick them up," he says and rubs the back of his head with a forehoof. "It was Broom Sweep and Feather Duster."
"Oh." She stops chewing and seems to be lost in thought.
"I… I knew you liked carnelions. I would have picked them up too."
"It's not that," she says with a smile. "You've never called them by name. It's always been 'the maids' or something like that."
"I haven't? I'm sure I…" Shining Armor's mind races to remember any occasion where he actually would have called them anything but maids… or something nastier. "You're right." He pauses for a moment to take another flower from the arrangement. "We kinda made a truce."
"Well I guess that's good." Her eyes glaze over a bit as she's once again lost in thought. "I… really like them, Shiny. Ever since I got my horn, they've been almost like my family. Ever since I got invited to Canterlot. Did you know they're both nobles?"
"Hmuh? Semiousfly?" he mumbles with his mouth full of flower.
Cadance giggles. "It's not like that. Their families had hit on hard times and they didn't have any lands or castles or anything like that anymore. Princess Celestia pretty much hired them so they'd help me with my studies."
"Wow… I never even thought…"
That the two nosy maids actually out-ranked me all this time before we got married. Hay… even the maids…
"Was it sour?"
"What?"
"Your flower. You just pushed your tongue out like it tasted bad."
"No, I mean… I was just thinking out loud. With my tongue. That's all."
Cadance looks at him with raised brows, but continues her story. "Well they gave up on their titles ages ago. Told me they didn't have any use for them. Although in the beginning they insisted on being called Ladies-In-Waiting."
No idea what that even means.
"I think they're okay. At least they're nicer than I thought. But after all the stuff in the mornings and… well I guess it was just a misunderstanding. Or a lot of them."
"Would you… like to tell me about it?"
No.
"I guess."
He floats a procrastinate chocolate to his mouth. He uses the little time it takes for the candy to melt in his mouth to formulate what he is going to say next. She only sits patiently, looking into his eyes.
"Ever since the wedding and us moving to the castle, they've been doing that innuendo stuff in the mornings. They told me that it was actually for you to forget the stuff that… argh!" He can feel the noose of guilt tightening around his neck. "I don't even know where to start! I… I had s-sex with the Queen. And the maids found out and then you asked about it from them and… and…"
"Shiny, honey. It's okay. You… don't force yourself."
He leans back and catches a breath.
"It all feels so stupid. The stuff that's happened."
"I know, honey. There's been so much… err… like you said, stuff."
"Yeah. Stuff. Heh."
They share a mirthless, forced laugh, which only lasts for the few seconds it takes for them realise that nothing funny has actually been said.
"The maids told you, and then they thought they'd messed up and tried to make you forget, and started doing that weird act of theirs. I thought they knew about my problem, and were teasing me about it. Because I thought they didn't like me. And then they even told me they didn't like me after the stuff in our tower. And told me I was impotent. Which they didn't really know, they just wanted to be nasty."
Cadance's eyes squint as she tries desperately to keep up with Shining Armor's explanation. "Oh, my. It's really hard to believe those two would say something like that. They can be a bit sharp-tongued, but… I really thought better of them."
"I guess they were just trying to protect you…"
Waitaminute! How did I end up defending THEM?
"…in their own, nasty way."
"Shiny!"
"Well they were! They were nasty and blamed all the destruction on me! And, well, said other stuff too. Like how they told me everyone in the castle knew about it, and I thought… well, that you'd told them and they'd gossiped about it to everyone."
Why don't you tell her how they stole my lunch bits too! Real mature there, Prince.
"That's the d… silliest thing I've ever heard! They promised never to tell anypony about anything they found out or saw during their work. It's part of their contract. They'd never, ever, say a word to anypony."
"Well it would have helped if I'd know they were more than castle staff. And friends or not, they still went way too far."
Silence once again sits on the throne and reigns over the small country of Ohshittania. It's happy for the promotion.
"I still find it hard to believe that they—"
Shining Armor slams a hoof onto the table, knocking the box of chocolates down onto the floor.
"They told you what they did themselves!"
He stares at her, unblinking, and she quickly turns to look away.
"I don't like it when you shout, Shiny."
"Well… well I don't like it when you think I'm lying," he leans onto the table and puts his face against his forehooves. They both try to avoid each other's gazes, and end up looking at opposite walls.
Fine. I'll be the one. Again.
"But I guess I deserve it."
She turns to him, her expression full of surprise. She has to work her mouth for a moment to get her words out.
"Umm… It's okay, Honey. Didn't we talk this over?"
"Yeah… it's just that I've always tried to be honest and then I did something stupid and you started thinking that I'd…" He feels a lump of bile rising into his throat. "…that I'd betray you."
"You said that you could get it up with any other mare." She looks away from Shining Armor again, and her voice comes out low, almost as a whisper.
"I meant that I could… by thinking… gah!"
"Thinking? Of whom?"
"Just… ponies. Does it really matter?"
Cadance's mouth forms empty words for a moment, but she doesn't say anything, only shakes her head.
"Thanks."
Two neurons find each other inside his brain, and form a new thought. His stomach lurches.
"Umm… Cady?" He takes a deep breath. "Did you think I'd betray you because of what happened with the Queen?"
"O-of course not! It was because you were under her spell."
"Well I do. I think I betrayed you."
"What?" she asks, clearly shocked.
"When I was with the Queen. I feel like I betrayed you. Like I should have been stronger. That maybe if I'd fought back harder…"
"Honey, it's all behind us now. Just… it's fine. Really it is."
"But I—"
"It's fine." She leans towards him, and her glare gives no room for objections.
Fine? You think it's 'fine' for me to fuck a bug? You're so bad at lying, Cady. Okay, save it. This is not the time.
Cadance's horn glows as she picks the box of chocolates and the few loose ones flung around by his earlier tantrum. Happy for the distraction, Shining Armor picks one up from mid-air and pops it into his mouth. The almondy taste relaxes him a bit. Cadance pulls one of the last flowers from the bunch, but only rolls it around the tabletop with a hoof, seemingly deep in thought. With a shrug, she levitates it up into her mouth and slowly chews it down while she moves her chair almost next to him and sits back down.
"On the topic of… making love," she says while laying a tender hoof onto his lap. His leg twitches involuntarily from the touch, and he can feel his fur standing on end. She doesn't notice, her face stuck in an all-too-bright smile. "I've been thinking. Well, more like researching. Just like how Twilight Sparkle solves problems? And I found some spells."
You're faking the smile, Cady. And why'd you have to bring Twily up? Isn't it bad enough that I just necked your nannies?
"Spells? What spells?"
"The… uh… kind that make you more virile. Apparently it's pretty common, especially when you get older. Ponies have been using spells to fix it for a long time." She lowers her head a bit. "I guess I should have known that already, being the Princess of Love and all. I haven't given much thought to the… mechanical side of things."
But that's not… It's not…
"There's nothing wrong with my body. The doctor told me it's psychological, and the therapy's been… well at least interesting. Made me think about stuff."
"Does it matter? I'm sure it'll work if you just give it a chance. For me?"
"I don't think so. Doesn't feel right," he says and shuffles his forehooves around nervously.
Cadance inches closer to him, and her horn takes on a light red glow. "I could even use a little bit of the crystal heart magic to—"
He slowly removes her hoof from his lap and turns to look Cadance directly into her eyes. In a stone-cold voice he says "You are not using magic on me."
The glow vanishes from Cadance's horn as she balks away from him in surprise. With a quiver in her voice, she asks. "Why? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. It would—"
"No."
She looks at her hooves and continues in a pouty, almost foalish voice. "I just wanted to make you better! I don't know what's happening but I thought that maybe if we got at least that fixed then maybe you didn't have to worry about it." she says amidst tiny sniffles.
"I know, Honey. I know." He breathes in slowly to gather his thoughts. "I'm sorry. It's just that… I don't think I'd be comfortable using magic to fix this. It's probably better if I try to work this out with the therapy."
"You think that Swallow mare is actually going to help you?" she says with a clear tint of anger to her voice.
"What do you mean?"
"It feels like I'm talking to a wall with her! She just sits there and listens, and just waits for me to speak. I… You'll probably think I'm a horrible pony for saying this, but I don't think she's even qualified for her work. She's such a… such a hack!"
"Oh, Honey. I know she's kinda weird, but at least for me it's helped. She told me it's her type of therapy, that's all." He thinks for something more to validate his claims. "She had all sorts of diplomas on her wall too."
Cadance just sighs and leans back on her chair. "I know. I just don't like her."
"She's just doing her job."
"Couldn't we get somepony else? Somepony who actually talked? She's so creepy."
Yeah, sure. Let's throw out everything I've done with her and start over. Hay, no.
"I don't think we should do that. We're already so far into the thing. There's only one more session for me and then we can go meet her together. And if she tries to put you in a pot and cook you up, I'll save you."
"That's not funny," she says, but can't stop the edges of her mouth from creeping up. "Fine. We'll finish the silly therapy with her."
"Thank you." To his surprise, he feels more gratitude and relief than he expected.
"Let's just call it thanks for making up with Dusty and Broomy. Now we can put this whole silly thing about firing them behind us." She puts her hoof on top of his Shining Armor's, and smiles. "I think it was very mature of you. Just like a Prince."
Silly thing? What? I still haven't decided what I'm going to do about them. And weren't we talking about something completely different just now?
"I haven't… "
Oooor…. maybe not. Better not spoil the moment when we can finally talk. I know the tone of voice she's using and I like where this is going.
"Yeah, right. A Prince. I still think I'm more of a royal mess-up." he says with a smirk.
To his surprise, Cadance laughs. "Oh, Honey! I know the feeling. It's hard to just suddenly become royalty."
"Huh?"
"Silly. I wasn't born a Princess either, remember? I was almost a teen when I was crowned and I didn't want anything to do with the whole Princess thing back then."
"Yeah. You told me about the Prismatia… Pristina… "
"Prismia."
"…her."
"Yes. And when I suddenly grew a horn that does weird things without me wanting it to and my wings became so big that I can't even fly properly… Well let's just say it wasn't easy."
"I never thought of that. You've always just been so… regal."
And pretty cute, even with your bed-mane.
"And you never thought why I became a babysitter? I wanted to run away from the life of a Princess—and Sweepy and Dusty—as much as I could. Took me weeks to convince them to let me go outside alone, and that was the easy part! I had to persuade Aunt Celestia too."
"I didn't think anypony could change her mind once it was set. Or even dare try."
"It took a lot of cake. But the point is, I wanted to be with people who didn't have anything to do with the court or being royalty. I always spent time with the younger kids in my home village, so being a babysitter felt like a good idea."
"Well, ehh… I'm pretty happy you signed up," Shining Armor says with a slight blush, which is soon mirrored by Cadance. A warm image of the two of them holding hooves on the sofa while Twilight Sparkle was in her room with her nose in a book fills his mind. "Guess I was bound to become a Prince ever since I fell for the prettiest Princess in the land." He leans over the table and takes Cadance's forehoof between his own. "Cady… I love you."
"I love you too, Shiny."
They share a gentle, chocolaty kiss. It soon turns into a dozen more. Cadance stands up and pulls him up with her. With locked lips, they take a few precarious steps around, lost in each other. They end up next to the glowing window and Shining Armor sees the warm radiance of the setting sun stroking Cadance's cheek. Cadance sits on the stone windowsill and circles his neck with her hooves. He flinches a bit, but thinks nothing more of it. She lets out a small, guttural purr, and her tongue plays circles around Shining Armor's. Cadance leans onto the window sill, which, according to ancient castle architecture, would be deep enough to accommodate a full grown pony. This time it only has to support her tush as she pulls him further in. The sun shines low from behind her, giving her a gold-and-pink halo around her head. To Shining Armor it's as if her horn was aglow with the magic of her heart.
Ready to make me into her slave. To take away my free will. To force herself on me again!
Shining Armor looks at her, just a black outline against the bright radiance, and for a moment, he thinks of green eyes. His heart lurches, and goes tumbling down to his stomach. With a vigorous shake of his head that makes Cadance whinny in surprise, he clears the image from his mind. She takes his struggling as an invitation to move even deeper, pulling him in with all the force in her hooves. He winces at the pain in his sides, and feels her bite his lip gently with her fangs.
A shudder runs down his back. He tries to push the dark shape away to catch a breath, but it will not let him. The two perforated hooves that were embracing him are now the sides of a vice, immobilising him and turning him helpless under their grip. He struggles in vain, pushing, squirming, even butting with his head. The monster lets go, but rises up to tower above him as he falls down to the floor. The Queen's eyes glow a poisonous green as she spreads her wings and descends on him, bloody drool running down it's mouth, ready for another bite of pony flesh.
He shields himself from the monster, his horn aglow with a warding spell. The monster is too close, and his spell has no effect, only enveloping them both in a golden-red sphere that obscures everything else in the room. He tries to shout, but no sound comes out, and he curls into a ball, hoping for somepony to come save him, because he knows he is too weak to fight the Queen off on his own. He is trapped in his own head, not even the master of his own thoughts. Just a witless drone, doing his mistress' bidding without question. He wants out, but the beast holds him in a stranglehold on the floor. He can't even flail futilely at the monster with his paralysed limbs.
The scene passes. Cadance is holding him in her lap, shouting something he can't make out. Her eyes are moist from worry, and a small trickle of blood runs down from the edge of her mouth.
"…right? …doctor?"
"W-w-w-w-w-whhh…" is all that comes out from between his clamped teeth. The shaking begins, first in his legs, which then spreads up his back and finally clutches at his jaw. He can't speak, his whole body jerking in a post adrenaline-rush cramp. She holds him tight, shouting at the door, looking at him, looking at the window, but he can't tell her what is happening.
"Shiny! What's going on? You're scaring me!"
I'm scaring you? You're… you're scaring ME! No… no she isn't. It's another stupid attack. It'll pass. It always does.
He pants, the shivers slowly dying down as Cadance still holds onto him. He grabs onto her hoof, and she cradles his head on her lap.
"Shiny! Do you need a doctor? What is—"
"It's… okay. Just… w-wait a bit."
Why now? I was working things out! Everything's okay now, right?
The shivers finally die down, and he is only left with a film of cold sweat covering his whole body. He crawls up to a half-sitting position, and Cadance pulls a pillow from the bed for him to lean on.
"It's… it's going away."
"What just happened?"
"It's noth—"
"Don't you DARE say it's nothing, Mister."
He takes a few deep breaths, and climbs to his hooves to show he's completely fine. The room lurches to the side and he has to grab hold of the bed to stay upright. Having to admit defeat, he sits down on the white sheets.
"The therapist calls it a 'panic attack'. I've had… a few since a while back."
"And you got one from us… kissing?"
Shining Armor throws his forehooves in the air. "No! Yes. I don't know! I don't know why they come and go!"
Except I get one almost every time I'm with you. Wonder why I didn't get a spookout earlier today. I don't get it.
Cadance sits down beside him, but keeps her distance.
"Is that what happened yesterday too? When you… when I…"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry… I didn't know what was going on and… I couldn't stay there any more after what you said and… what I said as well."
"I know. It went away after a while. That's the thing: They pass. They always do."
He can hear Sassy Swallow echoing the words in his mind. Cadance lays a careful hoof on the one he holds on the mattress.
"So… is it because of me?"
Yes! I get so scared of you I can't even touch you!
"…"
The words fail him. He wants to tell her how he feels, everything that's happened, of her hurting him, of her imprisoning him in her own world, of him trying to escape with fantasies of other mares, everything, but the words don't come. She looks at him with worry and…
Fear? She's afraid too. Of course she is. I must have head-butted her lip open just now. It's not her fault either. I… later. I'll tell her later…
…
No. It has to be now. No more lies.
"It's not all about you." He takes a long breath to steady himself. "But sometimes when we are together, like just now, I guess I start thinking about the Queen. And it scares me a lot. What she did to me… and you. That's what happened yesterday in our apartment, and what happened just now. I… just totally lose it. It's like I can't breathe, and my whole body locks up."
"You think about the Queen? When we're… together?"
"I can't help it. For a long time, she was you. I don't know if it's got something to do with her magic or something, but she really messed my head up. That's why I don't want you to use your magic on me to try and fix things. I'm so scared that I… I won't be myself again." He feels a cold lump in his chest, but not like the ones he gets when an attack is starting. The truth coming out burns his throat, and he feels like he wants to vomit.
"I wasn't… I didn't…" she stutters in confusion.
"You didn't know. Because I was stupid and didn't tell you. And I really should have."
"I had no idea things were this bad. How… how could you stand something like that?"
"I guess I couldn't." He sighs. "Sorry."
"No… I'm sorry." She puts a comforting hoof onto his leg and strokes it soothingly. He has to fight the urge to balk at her touch. "I should have seen it, but I was too busy trying to fix the wrong things." She smiles at him, and gives his leg a pat, like a mother would when cheering a foal who's just had a cry over a skinned knee. "I guess it's been a lot rougher on you than I thought. Come… come here. I… promise not to try and kiss you." She motions to the bed next to herself, and lies down.
"Thank you." He feels silly for thanking her for something like that, but rolls to her side. They end up snuggling against each other tentatively. She's clearly afraid to touch him, but to his surprise, he doesn't feel the fear returning. They hold onto each other's hooves, only listening to each other's breathing.
I finally told her! I told her I was afraid of her. Now… she knows. It's all going to get better now. I should have done this from the start. She understands. I should have known she would. She's my Cady after all.
A while later Cadance half rises, half falls from the bed with an un-ladylike grunt.
"Cady?" He reaches for his wife to see if she's okay.
"Uhh… nothing. I just almost fell off the bed. It's a bit on the thin side for the two of us."
It's a humongous double bed.
"Oh."
She looks around the room, as if searching for something.
"Honey, it's getting darker outside. Do you have any idea what time it might be?"
"Saturday?"
"Haw, haw. I'll see if there's a clock in the next room."
What are you… oh. An Excuse.
"Remember to flush," he calls after her as she's almost out the room. She turns around with a clear blush rising on her cheeks.
"S-Shiny! Don't be so un… uncouth! Allow a lady some dignity!"
"I've known you for over ten years already…"
"It's… not something a Princess will discuss. Now… I… really need to know the time!"
"Run!"
Shining Armor is left smiling at the ceiling. Cadance has a hard time with even admitting to going to the toilet or doing other even remotely intimate things. He once asked her if mares touched themselves, and she almost choked on her own tongue. At least that's what it looked like at the time. She'd gotten a lot better about it ever since he'd first persuaded her to make love to him for the first time.
Yeah… it only took me a romantic dinner, a late-night stroll in the park, rose petals on the bed and two bottles of champagne back then. And still she tries to keep up the appearance that a Princess doesn't have a digestive system.
He looks lazily at the few chocolates left on the table and thinks about getting up and having one, but instead he just concentrates for a moment and flings one into his mouth with magic. And gags.
"Urgh! Pineapple!" he says out loud while pushing his tongue out. The damage has been done, and he knows that he can't get the horrid taste out of his mouth even if he were to spit it out. He bravely gulps it down instead. "How can anypony like pineapple chocolates? Must be some mare thing." His taste buds recuperating from the ananaic assailant, he lets his body fall limp on the mattress. He allows his eyes to droop half-closed, but finds his mind racing. Like Colonel Spitfire with chili pepper under her flight-suit. So sweaty, so hot, so strong and lean… The thought refuses to leave him for a moment, before he pushes it away with sheer force of will.
Crap. What was up with that panic attack just now? Can't I even kiss her now?
He rubs his temples vigorously with his hooves.
And how can I tell her that I still don't like the maids, even though they aren't quite as bad as I thought? I could still fire them and just explain it to Cadance… somehow. I totally could. It'd be one thing less to worry about. Though they were kinda hot in the little dream I had… Maybe I should buy a riding crop inste.. So now I'm thinking about two middle-aged cleaners? Beats thinking about Twily for su…urgh!
He twists to his side and moves his hooves to cover his mouth as thoughts of incest, mares-I'd-like-to-rut and—with the slight regurgitation he has—pineapple chocolate threaten to make him toss his load. Luckily, the feeling doesn't last for long and the carpet gets a few more years of use. He slumps back onto his back.
Good thing Cady will go through with the therapy. At least it's a start with this whole mess. If she only knew the stuff I've talked to the therapist. I could… N… naaah. Today's been pretty nice so maybe we'll talk about it tomorrow or… the day after that or…
He looks at the door and the reality of the situation catches up to him.
I can't tell her what I really think without there being someone else there to protect me? Did I just think that? Protect? Well, sure, Cadance can be a bit scary but there's nothing to worry about, right? It's just Cady after all.
I'm such a coward. A stupid, scared, weak little coward. I'm… I'm…
"What are you groaning about?" Cadance asks as she steps back in the room.
"N-nothing!" he stammers as he snaps back to the here and now. "So, uh… what's the time?"
"I… err… " Cadance pops back out of the room, clearly having forgot to finish her cover story. Shining Armor can't help but smile.
"Eight thirty. I had to… double check. Because it's so late."
"Wow. We slept that long?"
"I don't know about you, but I think I could easily sleep some more. And I especially need a long bath. One might think I'd slept in a stable or something."
The idea of a warm, slightly scented bath gently wafts into his mind, and moves to the top of his personal priority list as well.
"Sounds like a good idea. I could use one as well."
"Yes, you could." She smiles with a motherly disapproval. "And remember tomorrow?"
"Yes. Of course! The… thing at the… place with… the… the…" He chuckles nervously.
"The Royal Polo Association invited us to the final game of the season that will decide the season's champions and we are there to give out the prizes. A full day of mingling with the nobles watching the games and betting on the winner, the gala dinner afterwards…"
"Shoot me now." He covers his eyes with a hoof, shielding himself from the inevitable onslaught of etiquette and intrigue. "I don't even know the rules of polo."
She answers with a giggle. "It's not that bad. At least we'll be together. And now that we're past our problems, we can just relax and listen to their grumbles with smiles, right?"
Past our… what? What?!
His mortified glare and shocked expression go completely unnoticed by Cadance, who's busy looking over the chocolates on the table. He gets up from the bed slowly.
"Aww… no pineapple ones left. They're the best." She shrugs. "Anyway, I'm going to call the servants to go make us baths, and also ask someone to come and get the bed ready. It really needs new sheets. And we need some proper food too. And can't forget clothes for tomorrow—"
Shining Armor lays a hoof on her shoulder. "Cadance… stop."
"What ever do you mean, Honey?" She gives him another glassy stare and a waxen smile.
"Sorry, but… everything is not okay," he says in a steady, but compassionate voice. "Please don't pretend it is. My head's messed up so bad I have to get professional help for it. I'm afraid of my own wife because she reminds me of the thing that raped me. Cadance… I was raped. It's not something that a few hugs can solve. And that's not our only problem. Understand, Cady? Our problem. I know you've been dealing with a lot too, and you refuse to tell me anything. I can see that you're afraid and confused and that you have a lot going inside your head too, so please, just please don't pretend everything is fine. Because it's not."
She looks as if he'd slapped her on the face. She pulls her hoof away from his, and sits down on a chair. She leans forward and covers her eyes with her forehooves.
"I just… I just thought that… if I pretended that nothing had happened between you and the Queen, things would start working out and you'd get over it. I didn't know what else to do. I thought it would only make things worse if I talked about it. Like picking on a scab instead of letting it heal."
He sits back on the side of the bed. "That's what I tried to do too. And it didn't work. Lying to myself… and to you… only made things worse."
The first tears start rolling down her face. "Shiny… I've been feeling so awful all this time and I don't know what to do! I've… I haven't been myself and I tried to be strong so you wouldn't have to be and I tried to keep you safe so you wouldn't have to worry and… *hic* I just wanted my Shiny to come back!"
"But I've been right here."
She looks up at him, and for the first time in as long as he can remember she really looks hurt. "No you haven't! You've been somewhere far away and I didn't know how to reach you."
"Is… is that what you felt?"
"Ever since the wedding it's felt like the Queen took you someplace and you never got back. Like you weren't really all there. Like some… Shiny… robot… thing."
"That's just… weird, Cady."
"I know!" she says with her voice breaking. "I just wanted you to… to hold me close and keep me safe and tell me I'm not going back to the caves and… and…"
Shining Armor walks to her with trembling feet, and she latches onto him, holding him like a drowning pony would.
"I'm right here, Cady. I'm right here this time."
She loses the last of her self-control and gives into the tears, bawling like a lost filly having found her mother. She tries to say something, but it comes out as coughs, sobs and sniffles. Shining Armor doesn't mind the squeeze, or the slight jolts of pain, because for the first time in weeks, he is happy.
Happy? Because… because Cadance is hurting so bad? Because I haven't been there for her and she's been feeling as bad as I have? Am I so far gone that I take pleasure in her pain? Seeing her suffer with all the stuff she's put me through?
She shivers against him, the wracking sobs shaking them both. And he smiles.
No. It's because she needs me. And I can help her. And I love her. Nothing more.
She looks up at him, her eyes moist from tears. "Why does all of this have to happen to us? Why can't we just have a normal life and a normal marriage?"
"I don't know, Honey. I really don't." He feels a lump grow in his own throat as well, but swallows it down, feeling the confident smile return to his face. "We beat the Queen Bug before. I don't want her to win now, after all we've been through."
"Me neither, Shiny. Me neither." She looks into his eyes and he leans down. They share a slow, loving kiss. This time there is only a short flutter of cold in Shining Armor's chest and it soon vanishes.
"I love you, Cady."
"I love you too, Shiny."
They hold onto each other with their eyes closed for a long while, she grabbing onto him from her seat, and Shining Armor standing above her, keeping her safe. When he finally opens his eyes, he can't see anything in the room, the sun having set on their long embrace. He coughs, hating to break the moment. "I guess we really have to start getting ready for the baths and stuff."
"Yes, I guess we do," she answers after a moment, her chin starting to tremble.
"Honey? Oh, right."
His horn takes on a glow and he looks at the small candles near the door and lights them up with a thought, bringing some much-needed light into the dark room.
"I just hope my joints won't get too rusty. I think my warranty expired a while back."
"You're horrible," she says, but fails to stop herself from giggling. He joins in, and they laugh together for what feels like the first time since they got married. They quiet down into a slow, tender silence (who doesn't mind at all, and is very happy, and a bit teary-eyed, with how his gig turned out), and just look at each other with soft smiles. Cadance eyes seeks his.
"Shiny… will we be okay?"
"Yes, Cady. I think we will."